10 green New Year's resolutions - Making 2011 sustainable

We asked on Greenpeace's Facebook page what your green New Year's resolutions were - and there were some great ideas. Here is the top ten, for those who are still wondering what to do:

1) Eat less meat. While not everyone is ready to become 100% vegetarian, there is little doubt that eating less meat is one of the fastest ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Pick one or two days a week where you will only cook vegetarian food. Find a good vegetarian food cooking book to learn the best recipes, and you're set!

2) Pick seasonal and local fruits and vegetables. While it can be tempting to eat strawberries in winter, when they have been imported from halfway across the planet or grown in energy-hungry greenhouses, they're hardly sustainable. Do some research into what is naturally grown in your area in the season, and prefer these. This way, you'll also rediscover the pleasure of meals changing with the seasons!

3) Take your bicycle out of the shed. People who re-start cycling to work and/ or the supermarket often say that it's lovely to rediscover their neighborhood that way. In fact, unless you live in a very mountainous area, this could be the most relaxing resolution you take!

4) Use public transport more. Granted, in the middle of the mountains or when there is half metre of snow outside your door, cycling sounds less appealing. If that's the case where you live, start using public transport to go to work and the supermarket. If public transport connections are poor in your area, then it's time to wake up the local campaigner in you and ask for it - make 2011 the year when your community stood up for sustainability.

5) Make your home efficient. By now, I assume most of you have switched to CFL lightbulbs - so it's time to take home efficiency to the next level. Check your house for heat loss (there are companies specialised in this if you don't feel expert enough) and make it your DIY project in 2011 to fix them. If you haven't yet, lower the thermostat during the night. The ideal temperature to sleep is around 16 degrees celsius. If that's too cold for you, do it in steps - half a degree less each month. You might realise you even sleep better - and you will see it on your heating bill!

6) Become a toxics-free household. This might take a while in research, so plan to do it over the whole year. From beauty products to clothes detergent and computer parts, we have become used to toxics products in our daily lives. Time to stop it. When buying new products, check what they are made of, and pick the one that will have the least toxic residues.

7) Keep your electronics for the year. New cellphone? Must absolutely have the latest iPad? How about the newly released gaming console? Our consumption of electronics is reaching records. Make a break, and promise not to buy new electronics this year, unless the one you already have breaks down (and when it does, ensure it is recycled properly!).

8) Take recycling to the next level. You probably have two different bins in your kitchen, sorting your waste to have it recycled. It doesn't end here though. In 2011, try to reduce the amount picked up by the garbage truck. If you have a garden, start your own compost. When you're at the supermarket, prefer products that are not overpackaged (you know the one: plastics wrapped in plastic, itself wrapped in cardboard...). If there are to many of these items in your local supermarket, time to start campaigning! Write to the store manager and express your concerns - and convince your neighbours to do so as well.

9) Spend more time outdoors. Learn to enjoy nature again. Make a habit of taking a weekly walk outside. We have become so used to live in our houses and in our cars, many people have no idea what nature looks like anymore.

10) Convince (at least) 3 friends to sign up with Greenpeace. Why three? Because almost everyone knows three people they can influence. If those three convince three more people next year and so on, we will grow a movement capable of protecting our planet - and the resolutions above will become a no brainer for everyone.

11) ... What is your green resolution for 2011? Tell us in comments below!

If we want a sustainable future, the best thing we can do is to work hard to reduce population growth. I made a voluntary decision not to have childre...

If we want a sustainable future, the best thing we can do is to work hard to reduce population growth. I made a voluntary decision not to have children, as did several of my friends, and feel we all need to start spreading the word about the urgent need to limit the growth in population on a global basis. For a start, we could lobby national governments to educate the people in their respective countries to plan their families, as well as to offer incentives (perhaps tax rebates) for people who choose not to have children or to limit the size of their families.

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(Unregistered) Lover of the green
says:

I think Greenpeace International must welcome new ideas, concepts and initiatives that can support to plant trees and save whole natural world.
...

I think Greenpeace International must welcome new ideas, concepts and initiatives that can support to plant trees and save whole natural world.
There may be creative thinkers who have new initiatives or who can make new environmental policies.
So Greenpeace must welcome such persons.

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drhoque
says:

Resolution for 2000Eleven to protect our indigenous plant genetics resources for smooth research and development for sustainable food security.
Create more awareness to conserve our indigenous genetic resources through community gene bank .
strengthening of Community participatory program is only way and best method to developed variety for sustain food security

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listenin
says:

LisaV says:

I have to get the insulation expert round for sure. We measured the difference in temperature between the top of our living r...

LisaV says:

I have to get the insulation expert round for sure. We measured the difference in temperature between the top of our living room and the floor and it's 5 degrees C! The heat seems to drop out of the floor so I need to get some insulation down there!

Posted January 3, 2011 at 13:17

- - - - -

5 C??? I haven't seen that since ... 30 years ago in a factory with 22 foot ceilings! I've been wanting to build a mechanical air blower to address such. Bring the weight up (perhaps 30 kilo, more or less), and the weight spins the blower that draws the warm air down.

Net energy consumption during operation: A few calories burnt in ones arm, back and legs, which might be good for you. They're proven renewable sources of energy, so it might be good for us all.

I wonder if someone is already making such a contraption...

Regarding the floor: I've been installing a radiant energy foil barrier under our floor, and have measured between 2 and 4 degrees F difference between floor areas done and not done. Used a wet bulb thermometer pressed to the floor and insulated from the air.

'Round here it's difficult to find an insulation expert who talks engineering (and science), and not wants to only sell a product...

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(Unregistered) Melinda Endora
says:

Every time you buy something, try to make a present for one of your friends, relatives of the same thing you bought, for example a bag, a belt or anyt...

Every time you buy something, try to make a present for one of your friends, relatives of the same thing you bought, for example a bag, a belt or anything else that you can give away. So your soul and your house won't became a garage! Watch less TV, go outside or to the museum doing so you will gain intelligence and you will be able to discern what is superfluous in your life so you will save it for yourself and for other living species. Buying quality is often synonymous of buying less. Save the money for the best in this way you will be more happy and the objects will last more. Check everything and save the planet!

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(Unregistered) from Azores
says:

My priority for 2011 is to implement renewable energy microproduction in my house.
I recomend averyone to check that possibility. In my opinion ...

My priority for 2011 is to implement renewable energy microproduction in my house.
I recomend averyone to check that possibility. In my opinion it as a great potencial to reduce oil dependence and polution.
In some contries there are even financial incentives for this.